CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — Catawba County Schools is scaling back planned expansions at four of its five middle schools as district leaders anticipate approval of a proposed merger with Hickory City Schools and Newton-Conover City Schools.
Instead of adding 12 to 14 classrooms at most schools, the district now expects to add just four or five classrooms at H.M. Arndt, Jacobs Fork, River Bend and Maiden middle schools, while Mill Creek Middle will move forward with its original 26,000-square-foot expansion.
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Officials say the merger would allow student enrollment to be redistributed across the future Catawba Valley School District, reducing the need for additional classroom space.
Although construction plans have been reduced, the district does not plan to cut its project budget, with remaining funds expected to go toward HVAC upgrades, athletic facilities and other capital improvements.
The proposal still awaits action by the North Carolina State Board of Education, according to the Hickory Record.